Selecting Research-Based
Instructional Strategies for K-7
Students With Learning Difficulties
Martha J. Larkin, PhD
43rd Annual Conference of the
Virginia State Reading Association
March 2010
1
The Problem


About 20% of students nationwide
encounter reading difficulties before third
grade
Nearly 40% of children read below grade
level
(Kame’enui, Carnine, Dixon, Simmons, &
Coyne, 2002)

About 85% of students with a learning
disability have a primary disability in
reading and language processing.
(IDA, 2007)
http://www.ldonline.org/article/Dyslexia_Basics
2
A Solution
A mnemonic,
READING, can help
to evaluate powerful
instructional
strategies to use
with diverse groups
of elementary and
middle school
students who
struggle with
reading.
3
A Mnemonic Can Help
R esearch-based
E fficient and effective
A pplicable
Doable
I nteresting
Needed now
G eneralizable
4
Research-based
No Child Left Behind (NCLB)
Teachers are expected to
use only research-based
instructional strategies and
intervene for every child as
soon as a reading problem
is noticed.
Response to Intervention (RTI)
(Bender & Larkin, 2009)
5
Research-based
National Institute of Child Health
and Human Development.
(2000). Report of the National
Reading Panel. Teaching children
to read: An evidence-based
assessment of the scientific
research literature on reading
and its implications for reading
instruction.
http://www.nationalreadingpanel.org/P
ublications/summary.htm
6
Research-based

National Reading Panel (NRP) Report





Alphabetics
 Phonemic Awareness
 Phonics
Fluency
Comprehension
 Vocabulary
 Text Comprehension
 Teacher Preparation and Comprehension
Strategies
Teacher Education and Reading Instruction
Computer Technology and Reading
Instruction.
7
Research-based

Developed using concepts and/or
information shown to be successful
(i.e., achieve desired results) as
indicated by studies reported in
professional literature




Credibility of source(s) reporting studies
When research was conducted
Appropriateness of study design and/or
credibility of researchers
Applicability to your students and situation
8
Efficient and effective

Efficient – works well
without waste



time is well spent
effort is well spent
Effective – produces
desired result

achievement, may be
assessed by test
scores or other
measures
9
Applicable

Applicable – put to
practical use




Does it “apply” to
the lesson/
assignment?
Does it have the
potential to help?
May not be “one
size fits all”.
May be used
sometimes, but not
others.
10
Doable

Do I have
knowledge and skills
time
curricula/materials
11
Interesting
To students
To teacher
12
Needed now


Does the student have
the prerequisite skills?
Will this teach a skill or
concept in a different
way, supplement current
instruction, provide extra
practice, etc.?
13
Generalizable

Applying
strategies learned
in different ways
and situations



Same class, but
different topic
Other subjects and
classes
In the “real world”
14
Applying The READING Mnemonic


Select an instructional strategy
or activity
Evaluate the selected strategy or
activity using the READING
checklist

Does the strategy/activity meet
most or all of the criteria on the
checklist?


If yes, proceed with the
strategy/activity.
If no, determine if the
strategy/activity meets enough
of the criteria to be beneficial to
students.
15
Picture Sort (Beginning Letter/Sound)
(Bender & Larkin, 2009)
Bb
Cc
Dd
16
Word Sort (Word Families)
(Bender & Larkin, 2009)
ed
family
ad
family
id
family
bed
bad
bid
red
dad
kid
17
Word Sort (Consonant and Vowel Patterns)
(Bender & Larkin, 2009)
CVVC
CVCC
look
rest
beat
camp
18
Applying READING to Picture/Word
Sorts

Research-based




NRP Report indicated that teaching
students to manipulate phonemes in
words was highly effective
Joseph, L. M. & Orlins (2005) Reading
Improvement
Joseph, L. M. (2002) School Psychology
Review article & (2000) Reading
Research and Instruction article
Joseph referenced other studies in her
articles
19
Applying READING to Picture/Word
Sorts

Efficient and Effective




Can take as little or as long as desired
or needed
Can be done daily or several times a
week
Some preparation of word cards
necessary (teacher may prepare for
younger students while older students
can make their own)
Student effort is required
20
Applying READING to Picture/Word
Sorts

Applicable



Can be used with a variety of lessons
and assignments
Can help students who need practice
with the targeted skill(s)
Can be used with individuals, small
groups, or large groups of students
21
Applying READING to Picture/Word
Sorts

Doable

You have just learned the basics (knowledge
and skills) of using picture/word sorts. See
Bear, Invernizzi, Templeton, & Johnston, 2008 ;Bender
& Larkin, 2009 for more ideas.


You have time to teach word sorts because
they only take a few minutes each day or
several times a week
You can use existing curricula and materials
along with index cards, clip art, and markers to
create word sort activities
22
Applying READING to Picture/Word
Sorts

Interesting


To students – picture/word sorts can be
made game like. Also, each student
can be involved and work at his or her
own pace.
To teachers – picture/word sorts can
bring out a teacher’s creative side to
create a variety of picture/word
activities to target individual and group
needs.
23
Applying READING to Picture/Word
Sorts

Needed Now

Picture/word sorts can be created or
adapted for almost any lesson and can
target a variety of different skills that
individuals or groups of students need.
24
Applying READING to Picture/Word
Sorts

Generalizable


Picture/word sorting activities have the
potential to be generalizable.
Students may not always have cards to
sort in many situations, but the sorting
practice helps them to look for similar
and different characteristics of
pictures/words to help them categorize
information.
25
Vocabulary Cartoons





Vocabulary Word with pronunciation and most
common definition
Association Link Word – rhyming word or phrase
that sounds like vocabulary word and links the
two together
Mnemonic Cartoon - visually reinforces vocabulary
and linking word
Caption – reinforces vocabulary and linking word
in a sentence
Sample Sentences – use the vocabulary word in
context and may give different tenses of it
www.vocabularycartoons.com
26
Vocabulary Cartoons
www.vocabularycartoons.com
27
www.vocabularycartoons.com
28
www.vocabularycartoons.com
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www.vocabularycartoons.com
30
Your Turn
31
32
References



Bear, D. R., Invernizzi, M., Templeton, S., &
Johnson, F. (2008). Words their way: Word
study for phonics, vocabulary, and spelling
instruction (4th ed.) Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Prentice Hall.
Bender, W. N., & Larkin, M. J. (2009). Reading
strategies for elementary students with
learning difficulties: Strategies for RTI (2nd
ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, Inc.
Burchers, S., Burchers, M., & Burchers, B.
(1998). Vocabulary cartoons: Building an
educated vocabulary with visual mnemonics
(Elementary ed.). Punta Gorda, FL: New
Monic Books. www.vocabularycartoons.com
33
References



Joseph, L. M. (2000). Developing firstgraders’ phonemic awareness, word
identification, and spelling: A comparison of
two contemporary phonic instructional
approaches. Reading Research and
Instruction, 39, 160-169.
Joseph, L. M. (2002). Facilitating word
recognition and spelling using word
boxes and word sort phonic procedures,
School Psychology Review 31(1), 122-129.
Joseph, L. M. & Orlins, A. (2005). Multiple uses of
a word study technique. Reading
Improvement 42 (2), 73-79.
34
References



Kame’enui, E.J., Carnine, D.W., Dixon, R.C., Simmons,
D.C., & Coyne, M.D. (2002). Effective teaching
strategies that accommodate diverse learners.
(2nd ed.) Upper Saddle River, N.J.: MerrillPrentice Hall.
International Dyslexia Association. (2007). Dyslexia
basics.
http://www.ldonline.org/article/Dyslexia_Basics
National Institute of Child Health and Development.
(2000). Report of the National Reading Panel.
Teaching children to read: An evidence-based
assessment of the scientific research literature on
reading and its implications for reading instruction
http://www.nationalreadingpanel.org/Publications
/summary.htm
35
A Resource
http://www.corwin.com/corwinSearch.nav?&_requestid=1304780
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